“Tate said he cried when he ran out of the tunnel and on the field and saw 110,000 people and truly realized how much Michigan football means to so many people,” he said. “It gets me choked up just thinking about him telling me that because it tells me my son really gets it.”

"Mark my words. This is going to be a close game. How close? As close as any game we’re likely to see in 2009. We have thrown out the idea that Notre Dame’s schedule is soft because Coach Rodriguez and the Michigan Wolverines looked terrific this Saturday. Granted, they were playing a cream putt but they face a traditional this week and they face them in the Big House. Michigan will not let the Irish embarrass them at home. This is the game to watch because if Michigan comes out and absolute dominates Notre Dame then all of a sudden the Wolverines become the team to beat in the Big Ten."

Recommendation: With Minor out for last Saturday's win over Western Michigan, the Wolverines had five different players record at least six carries (three RBs and two QBs). If Minor's ankle is still slightly gimpy on Saturday, Michigan will likely again turn to a committee system, which would limit Minor's chances of a big fantasy day."

"Cornerback recruit Adrian Witty won't be joining Michigan this season after failing to be cleared by the NCAA clearinghouse.

"It doesn't appear Adrian will make it for this fall," head coach Rich Rodriguez said Monday. "We'll continue to recruit and follow his progress."

Witty attended the same high school as Wolverines freshman quarterback Denard Robinson, who dazzled in his debut Saturday. The 6-1 cornerback recently retook the SAT exam in hopes of getting cleared to play this fall."

"I predicted a 6-6 season for Michigan, but after how good the Wolverines looked and how iffy teams like Illinois and Iowa looked Saturday, that could be a low guess on a potential second-year revival."

Michigan will carry a 20-15-1 series lead into the game, which will mark the eighth year in a row the Wolverines have played Notre Dame.

The longest uninterrupted stretch in the rivalry came when the teams played for 10 consecutive years -- from 1985 to 1994. But the schools once went 45 years without meeting, from 1943 to 1978.

Michigan owns the most wins in NCAA Division I history with 873. Texas is second with 833 and Notre Dame is third with 832. In winning percentage, Michigan is first at .738, Notre Dame is second at .736, and Texas is third at .718."

That's obvious. But I do think people are getting too excited. I had people yelling at me all day Saturday, talking up the Wolverines and the Volunteers. Western Kentucky, Tennessee's Week 1 opponent, might be the worst team in the country, and Western Michigan should be losing to the Wolverines, 31-7. Week 1 is a very fickle week, so let's wait and see how these teams progress throughout the year. If both teams are 3-0, then it'll be pretty much a miracle. If I had to choose the team with a brighter outlook at this point, it would be Tennessee, even with Florida looming Week 3. If Michigan can best Notre Dame this week, I'll get a little more excited."

" In week two, Tate Forcier battles Jimmy Clausen at the Big House. Without making any predictions, I can say that if Michigan beats Notre Dame, they should have a normal Michigan season right up until Ohio State in the final week—win a bunch, lose one they shouldn't, yadda yadda yadda.

Even if Michigan loses to Notre Dame, fans can be assured that year two of a rebuilding plan isn't supposed to go smoothly.